
In the aftermath of the intense thunderstorm that besieged our city on the night of July 13th, Minneapolis residents are navigating streets strewn with the casualties of nature's latest outburst. The windswept chaos left in its wake, a plethora of downed trees and branches, has resulted in considerable street blockages and extensive power outages. "I'm saddened to see the loss of beautiful, long-standing neighborhood trees but am thankful that we haven't received any reports of injuries thus far," was reflected in a community bulletin from the city last night.
The storm's impact on the city's electrical grid has been significant, prompting a coordinated response from Public Works and Xcel Energy. Residents facing electricity issues have several channels for reporting outages including the My Xcel Energy mobile app, Xcel Energy's website, texting 'OUT' to 98936, or by calling 1-800-895-1999, where an automated system aims to assist customers swiftly. According to the city bulletin, estimated restoration times will be provided as they become available. Xcel Energy's online outage map provides updates on the outage situation, assisting residents in staying informed as recovery efforts continue.
Public Works teams, beefed up by off-duty operators, are strenuously working to free up streets and alleys from arboreal obstacles. With a strict priority system, trees entangled with power lines or crushing vehicles are left for later, while others are quickly pushed aside, making way for Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) staff to handle the final removal. This information comes directly from city updates.
For those discovering storm-related damage, the city advises residents to use the 311 phone service for the most immediate attention. "Calling 311 is the best way to get important information to Public Works teams and utility partners in the field," the city notes. Emails to 311 may face delays and are not recommended for urgent concerns. Additionally, the Public Works Department is unable to clear trees that have come from downed power lines until Xcel Energy has managed the electrical hazards.
Cleanup operations are expected to continue throughout the week as Public Works, Xcel Energy, and MPRB coordinate their efforts to restore normalcy. For ongoing information and assistance, the Minneapolis community is encouraged to keep the lines of communication open, using the various reporting tools and platforms at their disposal.